1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to replaceable rotating brushes for mounting on power-driven pool cleaners.
2. Description of Related Art
Automated or robotic power-driven pool cleaners typically include rotating brushes mounted on tubes or shafts extending across the body at the front and rear of the machine. The shaft on which the cleaning brush is mounted is rotatable and can be driven by one or more endless belts that engage grooved pulleys at either or both ends of the rotatable shaft.
The cleaning brushes can be made of a foamed polymer or plastic sponge material, in which case they are subject to wear and tear due to their continuous rotating contact with the bottom and side wall surfaces of the pool. As a result, foamed polymer cleaning brushes must be periodically removed and replaced. Various types of brushes have been used with pool cleaning machines of the prior art. Brushes in the form of elongated cylinders produced from molded polyvinyl acetate (PVA) having a relatively fine pore size are designed to cover the entire length of the rotatable shaft in a single piece. The molded PVA is relatively rigid when dry, but becomes softer and more pliable when wet with water which facilitates fitting it to the shaft.
Other types of brushes are formed as generally rectangular elements having a flat surface on the back which can be wrapped around and tightly fitted to the rotatable shaft. Interlocking tabs and openings at the mating ends of the flexible mat permit its secure assembly to the shaft in a generally cylindrical configuration. For example, the rotatable shaft often has indents or openings into which corresponding tabs of the mat are inserted. Elements of various configurations projecting from the exterior surface of the mat contact the pool surface with a scrubbing action to loosen debris and allow it to be drawn into the pool cleaner""s filter system. The flat brushes can be produced as an integrally molded element using a synthetic rubber or polymer compound. The flat brushes can also be fabricated by drawing elongated rectangular pieces of cellular foamed plastic through openings in an open-weave backing material.
While each type of cleaning brush possesses certain advantages, and is intended for use under specific conditions, these prior art brushes face a drawback in the effort associated with removing a worn brush and installing a replacement cleaning brush. In the case of the cylindrical PVA foam brush, the old element can most easily be removed by cutting it away from the shaft. However, considerable effort is required to pull and properly fit the replacement brush on the shaft.
The dismounting of the prior art flat molded brushes is likewise facilitated by cutting the neck portion of the tabs where the mating ends overlap. Installing the new brush requires some strength since the interlocking elements have limited resiliency, which characteristic is required to enhance their ability to resist disengagement once assembled in the correct interlocking position. Therefore, after the tabs and slots of the overlying ends are brought into mating alignment, it can be difficult, especially for residential pool owners, to install the new brushes. Moreover, unless the interlocking elements of these brushes are fully positioned in their precise interlocking configuration, the possibility of disengagement is appreciable, in which case the brush can become loose or detached from the rotating shaft, so that it does not rotate properly and no cleaning of the pool surface is effected.
It is also known, in the case of the molded brushes having a flat backing surface, that mildew and dirt can be formed during periods of non-use and storage between the mounting shaft and the back, causing the elements to stick together and necessitating removal of the dirt, mold and mildew before a new brush can be installed.
In view of the above limitations and difficulties associated with the cleaning brushes of the prior art, it would be desirable to provide a cleaning brush for pool cleaners as original equipment or as a replacement for worn or damaged cleaning brushes that is easy to install securely and to remove.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a cleaning brush that can be easily and securely mounted during installation.
It is another object of the invention to provide a positively and securely mounted cleaning brush that can also be easily removed at such time as replacement is required.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a cleaning brush that has a minimum surface area in contact with the mounting shaft and that permits free circulation of water and air to facilitate drying.
The above objects, as well as additional advantages, will be realized in the practice of the invention as herein described. In its broadest embodiment, the improved cleaning brush comprises a flexible web having first and second opposing edges, the first edge having at least one first element extending in the direction of the first edge, and the second edge having at least one second element extending in the direction of the second edge. The web is deformable about the rotatable shaft to bring the first and second edges into contact, with the first element being in spaced relation to the second element such that the first element is aligned with the second element. Additionally, a positive locking structure is provided to hold the first and second elements together in a secure, locking fit.
In an especially preferred embodiment, there are a plurality of elements on the first and second edges, with each element having an opening therethrough in the direction of the respective edge, so that when the edges are in contact the openings are aligned to form a continuous open path, and the locking structure is in the form of a locking pin that passes through the open path.